Vietnam Military History Museum free entry until December 2024
From November 1, 2024, the Vietnam Military History Museum officially opens and offers free admission until the end of December 2024.
According to the announcement from the Vietnam Military History Museum, as of September 30, 2024, the museum has stopped serving visitors at its location at 28A Dien Bien Phu, Ba Dinh, Hanoi.
From October 1, 2024, the Vietnam Military History Museum is welcoming visitors at its new location: Km 6+500, Dai Lo Thang Long, Tay Mo Ward, Dai Mo, Nam Tu Liem District, Hanoi.
Vietnam Military History Museum
Starting November 1, 2024, the museum officially opens to the public with free admission until the end of December 2024.
For visitor registration: 0246.253.1367
Nearby bus routes at the new museum location: 71B (My Dinh Bus Station – Xuan Mai); 74 (My Dinh Bus Station – Xuan Khanh); 87 (My Dinh Bus Station – Quoc Oai – Xuan Mai); 88 (My Dinh Bus Station – Hoa Lac – Xuan Mai); 107 (Kim Ma – Vietnamese Ethnic Culture and Tourism Village); 157 (My Dinh Bus Station – Son Tay Bus Station); E05 (Long Bien – Smart City); E07 (Long Bien – Smart City); E09 (West Lake Park – Smart City).
The newly constructed museum features a modern design, creating a space for visitors to interact and experience the heroic struggle for Vietnam’s independence
The right and left wings serve as outdoor exhibition areas. The left-wing showcases weapons and equipment used by the Vietnamese Army and people during the resistance wars against French and American invasions.
The museum, built by the Ministry of National Defense in 2019, spans 386,600 m² and houses over 150,000 artifacts, including four national treasures and many valuable items.
The museum applies new display methods, combining 3D mapping dioramas, information lookup screens, media materials, automatic audioguides, and QR codes for artifact and image information. Over 60 video clips about campaigns, battles, and historical figures offer visitors a completely new experience.
The right wing of the museum displays weapons and equipment used by French and American forces during their invasions of Vietnam.
Currently, the museum has completed phase one and is gathering feedback from experts and scientists to finalize the exhibits before officially opening to the public on November 1, 2024.
On both sides of the building are spaces symbolizing the desire for peace, with branches, green shoots, and doves flying up from the wreckage of a plane. This exhibition symbolizes Vietnam’s wish for peace and its understanding of the value of peace with countries worldwide. The globe and mirrors reflect the history of Vietnam’s nation-building and defense, from the era of the Hung Kings and An Duong Vuong to the 20th century. This affirms that from ancient times, the Vietnamese people have longed for peace and have accepted great hardships and sacrifices to gain independence, freedom, and ensure the happiness and prosperity of the nation.
The symbolic exhibition highlights Vietnam’s desire for peace.
Walking past the main hall, visitors will encounter the “Silver Swallow” MiG-21 with the number 4324. What impresses visitors is the large MiG-21 suspended from cables attached to the ceiling, creating the feeling of being ready to take off to protect the skies of the homeland. Accompanied by a large LED screen showcasing the beauty of Vietnam and information on the country’s history, culture, and national defense traditions, the exhibition comes alive.
The “Silver Swallow” 4324
During the resistance against the U.S., 9 pilots flew the “Silver Swallow” 4324, which took off 69 times, encountered enemy forces 22 times, fired 16 times, and shot down 14 U.S. aircraft. The MiG-21 is marked with 14 red stars, symbolizing the 14 enemy aircraft shot down. This aircraft was recognized as a National Treasure by the Prime Minister of Vietnam on January 14, 2015.
The exhibition space inside the museum on the first floor is divided into 6 themes.
- Theme 1: The early stages of nation-building and defense.
- Theme 2: Protecting independence from 939 to 1858.
- Theme 3: Fighting colonial France for national independence (1858-1945).
- Theme 4: The resistance against French colonial invasion (1945-1954).
- Theme 5: The resistance against American imperialism (1954-1975).
- Theme 6: Nation-building and defense from 1976 to present.
The themes are organized in chronological order with a logical layout
The exhibition is arranged chronologically with a logical layout and detailed annotations. The artifacts are accompanied by information on events, presented in various forms including text, search screens, photo media, automatic audio guides, and QR codes for further information.
Theme 4 includes not only artifacts but also life-sized dioramas, such as a re-creation of Hanoi’s streets during the 60-day and night battle to defend the capital after President Ho Chi Minh’s call for national resistance.
The recreated streets of Hanoi during the 60-day battle to defend the capital.
Visitors will walk through 6 exhibition areas organized by historical timeline. The museum provides free admission until December 2024.
One significant exhibit is the 105mm artillery of Battery 806, which was captured by the Vietnamese army during the 1952 Nghia Lo battle in the Northwest Campaign. This artillery was among the first to bombard the French during the Him Lam battle on March 13, 1954, marking the start of the Dien Bien Phu Campaign.
The Hiền Lương Bridge, a symbol of the North-South division, is linked to the national struggle for independence and unification, starting Theme 5, which covers the Vietnam War from 1954 to 1975.
Another exhibition highlights the MiG-21 aircraft number 5121, a key part of the “Dien Bien Phu in the Air” victory in December 1972. General Pham Tuan, a Vietnamese war hero, flew this aircraft and shot down a B52 on December 27, 1972.
The new museum space not only displays artifacts but also showcases valuable historical documents, meetings that shaped the revolutionary victories, and the organization and strategy of military units, giving visitors a comprehensive view of these significant events.
High-tech projectors, films, maps, models, and dioramas illustrate notable battles such as the Dien Bien Phu Campaign in 1954 and the Ho Chi Minh Campaign in 1975.
During the resistance against the Americans, the T-54B tank from the 203rd Tank Brigade played a pivotal role in liberating Hue and Da Nang, later participating in the Ho Chi Minh Campaign. On April 30, 1975, this tank led the charge into Saigon, destroying three enemy vehicles and ultimately crashing into the gates of the Independence Palace. The commander, Bui Quang Than, hoisted the flag atop the palace after the victory.
Colonel Nguyen Thanh Le, Deputy Director of the Museum, introduced the legendary T-54B tank number 843, which was recognized as a National Treasure in 2012.
The Vietnam Military History Museum currently welcomes pre-registered groups, including museum experts and visitors, and is open to the public starting November 1, 2024.
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